The weekly messenger., 1887-07-02

with her.
Suddenly Karen gave a cry of alarm,
and pointed over the stern. We looked
and saw great black cloud, which
seemed to cover the whole horizon, roll
ing down upon us with streak of boiling
white foam before it. Isprang to rect
the sail, and in an instant the squall was
upon US. At once all was dark as night
We could not see each others faces.
The wind howled, and as the boat bent
to it, rushing on her course, it seemed
that she must capsize The children
screamed with fright. Then at a short
distance to windward the blackness
opened, as if a curtain had been drawn
up, and in broad space of living green
ish light we saw another ten-oared boat
She stood out black and distinct against
the halfcircle of light which seemed to
| travel with her. She was an exact copy
| of our own boat; she was sailing the same
course, but, while we heeled terribly to
the wind and plunged madly to the
raging sea, she with full sail set, glidcd
along on an cen keel, as steady as
though the seaWere a mill-pond. The
wind and sea seemed to have no effect
on her
could but see one aboard her, a dark
figure at the helm. She frightened me-
But l could not think of her long, for
the wind was now a hurricane, and
| every wave dashed over her bows, half
filling the boat with water. | heard
| Elias shout: "Look out! Hold fast, all
! of you'll" and saw an enormous wave, as
high as our mast it seemed, toppling
| over us. Tons of water dashed down
upon us, and thought we were sinking;
but our boat quickly righted and seemed
to shake the water from her. l looked
| firs. for Elias. l could just make out his
figure at the helm. Then l heard half
stifed shrek. go, Elias, husband
Martha and Nils! Save them!" 1t was
Karen's voice. The two little ones were
gone. l heard Elias groan. We could
do nothing. Then looked for the other
boat. The greenish light was brighter,
the strange craft more distinct. Two
had been added to her crew. They stood
motionless by her mast; their faces were
the faces of the dead, the faces
of the drowned children. 1t was a
fearful sight, but before we could speak
. word another mountain of water was
hurled upon us, and when it had passed
Karen was gone, and Anton's life line
dangled loose and empty. l could hear
Elias praying, while the four older BOYS
clung half drowned to the mast and neither
moved nor spoke.
We heard loud laugh, and a deep
UAlNa nalloH. skTIo hat L
q full crew soon." There was the strange
boat scarce fifty feet from us. In her
were Karen and Anton, Nils and Martha
dead and white, and there, huge, naked
and terrible, stood the steersman, with
sea green hair and beard blowing wildly
about his frightful head.
With menacing gesture he pointed to
the spike of fish spear sticking between
his shoulders. l nearly tainted. Elias
ceased praying. BY the ghastly light
now so near us could see his face. 1t
was that of wild beast at bay, despair
ing but ferocious.
Drawing his long knife, he muttered !:
Il know you, 1 know you! If a spear
can pierce your back, this may reach
your heart"
"Eliasp l shrieked, ''that was on
land. What would you do2"
End this, one way or other" he
shouted. "TO the sheet, foolr' and he
put up the helm. l trimmed the sail
close, as by instinct, and we flew to run
down our pursuer. was now desperate,
too, and grasping the boathook, stood
ready TO strike.
Just as we seemed aboard of the mer.
man another wave swept over us; felt
our boat sink from under me. Even
through the rush of the water heard
wild shrieks and shouts of fiendish
laughter, and knew no more until I